Current bedding vs. Hunting season bedding

[BBH1980]

Hey beasts! Hope all your weeks went well!

Ive been doing lots of scouting on public land lately, mostly stuff close to the road. Driving around and scoping out trails crossing roads and thick trails close to the road. I have found several areas that are small cedar thickets that have several deer beds along them. Beyond the thickets is wooded marshlands, into cattail marshlands. Ive literally found atleast 20 different beds within 100 yds of the road, in just a couple small acre locations. There is a bunch of snow up this way now. Is this all just winter bedding most likely or is it possible this may be some overlooked bedding areas? I also found lots of cedar and evergreen tree bedding areas in my private property area. I have yet to really pinpoint all the bedding for my area but ive definitely found different bedding locations. Some in thick stuff on higher elevation. Most in evergreen areas. Also found lots of bedding around the cattail marsh and on the island in the cattail marsh. All the bedding I found was all recent. Can i count on any of it for next hunting season?


On another note. What would you guys say the average deer "bedding area" is, acreage or yardage wise? How do I know what seperates one area to another?

And have you guys noticed a difference in bedding in cattail marshes with transitions along wooded hills to the contrary of cattail marshes with transitions along lowland farmland? Where would you expect the bedding to be in those areas? Would it be the same, and find the bedding out in the cattail marsh just beyond the transition? Or would I expect to find the bedding in from the marsh in the thicker evergreen areas along the marsh?

Any opinions welcomed guys! Really trying to pin down locating bedding areas so I can increase my chances and get in on some deer this upcoming season. Any advice would be awesome!

I HAVE NOT READ THE RESPOSES YET... Crazy busy scouting this time of year. Finding beds right now might or might not help you during the season. 1st of f are they buck beds or doe beds? 2nd, are they winter beds? Might help you next winter in late season, but before that may be hit or miss... Most good buck bedding you find will be related to structure, just like bass fishing. A lot of the best primary bedding will have rubs both new and old for generations. But not all great bedding areas will have that... One good thing about scouting now is that tracks lead you to areas you would of possibly over looked without the tracks... Most buck bedding areas are between a 20 yard circle and 1/2 acre. But you do occasionally run across a great single bed, or a 3 acre bedding area.

If a spot looks good now, but your not sure, come back after the snow melts and see if there are good beds and or sign from during the season that was hidden by the snow.

Thanks Dan for taking the time to respond to my post. Appreciate it immensely. I will read, and reread what you and all of the guys that posted have said a hundred more times. Its only been since December since I really started checking out The Hunting Beast, before that I was trying to watch every hunting program that looked worth my time on TV. Came across The Hunting Public and I watched as much as my family would allow me to haha, which led me to The Hunting Beast. I had watched enough of those guys, to know they were legit, so when you went on the show with Joe, and the guys said they wish they could have not hunted and hunted with you to pick up on things, I knew you were someone I needed to know more about.

Thanks again for doing what you do, and inspiring so many other to do the same. I was thinking about it yesterday, sharing your craft, your secrets with others must be a humbling thing to do. I mean you put all the blood, sweat and hard work into it, and then share it with others for those to have similar success, that's just too awesome!

I am going to get the DVD's I know everyone keeps saying that, haha but I am saving for a house and its a really good thing my wife's got going with us saving money. I dont want to screw it up. I really hope she got me a dvd or two for valentines day. I havent quite figured out what the order is to the collection. Is there one you recommend I start first? I was just going to order the Marsh bedding DVD because it seems pretty common where I live, all the public areas have a marsh or two I can capitalize on. Plus, i dont think there are too many other hunters out this way, really getting into those areas and putting the extra effort in to get past the few walking trails and fields into the public.

And to follow up with your response, I think the most common thing everything is pointing for me to do is scout more. The more I really scour all the woods im hunting, especially now, just learning all the land and how the deer may use it, will help me become more successful. And keep watching the instructional stuff I find, reading books, and reading through all the threads. I will get the DVD soon and be watching that non stop. Good luck on your scouting mission and workshops!

All the DVD's are real good. My favorite "deer" DVD is swamp, but the marsh one will get you the basics fast. I kind of dissagree with scouring the whole woods... You waste a lot of time doing that. My main scouting takes place alongt transitions and elevation. I can scout a 300 acre property in a couple hours and find 95% of the mature buck bedding. I appreciate the kind words... Main thing to remember is that big bucks bed at the highest and lowest elevations, or along edge. There not out in the middle of woods as some would have you think.

Here is a picture of what I mean. Might help a few of us understand better. You can see the wider points and a few crests on the way down each.

[Edcyclopedia]

Most good buck bedding you find will be related to structure, just like bass fishing.

I, like Dan, find that both like water!

[dan]

Hey beasts! Hope all your weeks went well!

Ive been doing lots of scouting on public land lately, mostly stuff close to the road. Driving around and scoping out trails crossing roads and thick trails close to the road. I have found several areas that are small cedar thickets that have several deer beds along them. Beyond the thickets is wooded marshlands, into cattail marshlands. Ive literally found atleast 20 different beds within 100 yds of the road, in just a couple small acre locations. There is a bunch of snow up this way now. Is this all just winter bedding most likely or is it possible this may be some overlooked bedding areas? I also found lots of cedar and evergreen tree bedding areas in my private property area. I have yet to really pinpoint all the bedding for my area but ive definitely found different bedding locations. Some in thick stuff on higher elevation. Most in evergreen areas. Also found lots of bedding around the cattail marsh and on the island in the cattail marsh. All the bedding I found was all recent. Can i count on any of it for next hunting season?


On another note. What would you guys say the average deer "bedding area" is, acreage or yardage wise? How do I know what seperates one area to another?

And have you guys noticed a difference in bedding in cattail marshes with transitions along wooded hills to the contrary of cattail marshes with transitions along lowland farmland? Where would you expect the bedding to be in those areas? Would it be the same, and find the bedding out in the cattail marsh just beyond the transition? Or would I expect to find the bedding in from the marsh in the thicker evergreen areas along the marsh?

Any opinions welcomed guys! Really trying to pin down locating bedding areas so I can increase my chances and get in on some deer this upcoming season. Any advice would be awesome!

I HAVE NOT READ THE RESPOSES YET... Crazy busy scouting this time of year. Finding beds right now might or might not help you during the season. 1st of f are they buck beds or doe beds? 2nd, are they winter beds? Might help you next winter in late season, but before that may be hit or miss... Most good buck bedding you find will be related to structure, just like bass fishing. A lot of the best primary bedding will have rubs both new and old for generations. But not all great bedding areas will have that... One good thing about scouting now is that tracks lead you to areas you would of possibly over looked without the tracks... Most buck bedding areas are between a 20 yard circle and 1/2 acre. But you do occasionally run across a great single bed, or a 3 acre bedding area.

If a spot looks good now, but your not sure, come back after the snow melts and see if there are good beds and or sign from during the season that was hidden by the snow.

Thanks Dan for taking the time to respond to my post. Appreciate it immensely. I will read, and reread what you and all of the guys that posted have said a hundred more times. Its only been since December since I really started checking out The Hunting Beast, before that I was trying to watch every hunting program that looked worth my time on TV. Came across The Hunting Public and I watched as much as my family would allow me to haha, which led me to The Hunting Beast. I had watched enough of those guys, to know they were legit, so when you went on the show with Joe, and the guys said they wish they could have not hunted and hunted with you to pick up on things, I knew you were someone I needed to know more about.

Thanks again for doing what you do, and inspiring so many other to do the same. I was thinking about it yesterday, sharing your craft, your secrets with others must be a humbling thing to do. I mean you put all the blood, sweat and hard work into it, and then share it with others for those to have similar success, that's just too awesome!

I am going to get the DVD's I know everyone keeps saying that, haha but I am saving for a house and its a really good thing my wife's got going with us saving money. I dont want to screw it up. I really hope she got me a dvd or two for valentines day. I havent quite figured out what the order is to the collection. Is there one you recommend I start first? I was just going to order the Marsh bedding DVD because it seems pretty common where I live, all the public areas have a marsh or two I can capitalize on. Plus, i dont think there are too many other hunters out this way, really getting into those areas and putting the extra effort in to get past the few walking trails and fields into the public.

And to follow up with your response, I think the most common thing everything is pointing for me to do is scout more. The more I really scour all the woods im hunting, especially now, just learning all the land and how the deer may use it, will help me become more successful. And keep watching the instructional stuff I find, reading books, and reading through all the threads. I will get the DVD soon and be watching that non stop. Good luck on your scouting mission and workshops!

All the DVD's are real good. My favorite "deer" DVD is swamp, but the marsh one will get you the basics fast. I kind of dissagree with scouring the whole woods... You waste a lot of time doing that. My main scouting takes place alongt transitions and elevation. I can scout a 300 acre property in a couple hours and find 95% of the mature buck bedding. I appreciate the kind words... Main thing to remember is that big bucks bed at the highest and lowest elevations, or along edge. There not out in the middle of woods as some would have you think.

Dan in hill my country that rises 600 ft over 1/2 mile roughly the points are a lot more rounded and wider than narrow and pointy. I also find that there are several military crests on the way down the points that tie into benches along the sides. My question is, should I be checking the first military crest from the top or all of them the whole way down the hill? There are 2 in the top 3rd of the one hill I am scouting?

Thats a good question, and the answer would depend on air flow. Wind directly over the top may have one of the top crests being the spot, wind on an angle may have one of the others. I would probably look and see where the sign is most concentrated, and if its in multiple elevations, try to determine which wind(s)

[dan]

Hey beasts! Hope all your weeks went well!

Ive been doing lots of scouting on public land lately, mostly stuff close to the road. Driving around and scoping out trails crossing roads and thick trails close to the road. I have found several areas that are small cedar thickets that have several deer beds along them. Beyond the thickets is wooded marshlands, into cattail marshlands. Ive literally found atleast 20 different beds within 100 yds of the road, in just a couple small acre locations. There is a bunch of snow up this way now. Is this all just winter bedding most likely or is it possible this may be some overlooked bedding areas? I also found lots of cedar and evergreen tree bedding areas in my private property area. I have yet to really pinpoint all the bedding for my area but ive definitely found different bedding locations. Some in thick stuff on higher elevation. Most in evergreen areas. Also found lots of bedding around the cattail marsh and on the island in the cattail marsh. All the bedding I found was all recent. Can i count on any of it for next hunting season?


On another note. What would you guys say the average deer "bedding area" is, acreage or yardage wise? How do I know what seperates one area to another?

And have you guys noticed a difference in bedding in cattail marshes with transitions along wooded hills to the contrary of cattail marshes with transitions along lowland farmland? Where would you expect the bedding to be in those areas? Would it be the same, and find the bedding out in the cattail marsh just beyond the transition? Or would I expect to find the bedding in from the marsh in the thicker evergreen areas along the marsh?

Any opinions welcomed guys! Really trying to pin down locating bedding areas so I can increase my chances and get in on some deer this upcoming season. Any advice would be awesome!

I HAVE NOT READ THE RESPOSES YET... Crazy busy scouting this time of year. Finding beds right now might or might not help you during the season. 1st of f are they buck beds or doe beds? 2nd, are they winter beds? Might help you next winter in late season, but before that may be hit or miss... Most good buck bedding you find will be related to structure, just like bass fishing. A lot of the best primary bedding will have rubs both new and old for generations. But not all great bedding areas will have that... One good thing about scouting now is that tracks lead you to areas you would of possibly over looked without the tracks... Most buck bedding areas are between a 20 yard circle and 1/2 acre. But you do occasionally run across a great single bed, or a 3 acre bedding area.

If a spot looks good now, but your not sure, come back after the snow melts and see if there are good beds and or sign from during the season that was hidden by the snow.

Thanks Dan for taking the time to respond to my post. Appreciate it immensely. I will read, and reread what you and all of the guys that posted have said a hundred more times. Its only been since December since I really started checking out The Hunting Beast, before that I was trying to watch every hunting program that looked worth my time on TV. Came across The Hunting Public and I watched as much as my family would allow me to haha, which led me to The Hunting Beast. I had watched enough of those guys, to know they were legit, so when you went on the show with Joe, and the guys said they wish they could have not hunted and hunted with you to pick up on things, I knew you were someone I needed to know more about.

Thanks again for doing what you do, and inspiring so many other to do the same. I was thinking about it yesterday, sharing your craft, your secrets with others must be a humbling thing to do. I mean you put all the blood, sweat and hard work into it, and then share it with others for those to have similar success, that's just too awesome!

I am going to get the DVD's I know everyone keeps saying that, haha but I am saving for a house and its a really good thing my wife's got going with us saving money. I dont want to screw it up. I really hope she got me a dvd or two for valentines day. I havent quite figured out what the order is to the collection. Is there one you recommend I start first? I was just going to order the Marsh bedding DVD because it seems pretty common where I live, all the public areas have a marsh or two I can capitalize on. Plus, i dont think there are too many other hunters out this way, really getting into those areas and putting the extra effort in to get past the few walking trails and fields into the public.

And to follow up with your response, I think the most common thing everything is pointing for me to do is scout more. The more I really scour all the woods im hunting, especially now, just learning all the land and how the deer may use it, will help me become more successful. And keep watching the instructional stuff I find, reading books, and reading through all the threads. I will get the DVD soon and be watching that non stop. Good luck on your scouting mission and workshops!

All the DVD's are real good. My favorite "deer" DVD is swamp, but the marsh one will get you the basics fast. I kind of dissagree with scouring the whole woods... You waste a lot of time doing that. My main scouting takes place alongt transitions and elevation. I can scout a 300 acre property in a couple hours and find 95% of the mature buck bedding. I appreciate the kind words... Main thing to remember is that big bucks bed at the highest and lowest elevations, or along edge. There not out in the middle of woods as some would have you think.

Here is a picture of what I mean. Might help a few of us understand better. You can see the wider points and a few crests on the way down each.

That bench 1/2 way down at the top right of your topo image looks awesome. Any westerly wind (W, S/W, NW) is going to wip around the lower sides of that hill and make that bench perfect... With low pressure I would expect great bedding there. One other thing on lower benches, in high pressure most of the great buck bedding is on lower benchs where people don't walk.

[tgreeno]

As others have said, Snow scouting has the advantage of being able to follow tracks right into bedding you otherwise may not have found. Also good spots to check-out next years late season.

I always like to confirm good bedding spots by, going back in just after the snow melts and before green-up. This is your best time to see the beds as they were preserved from Oct-Nov, under the snow. If those area still show bedding in strategic spots, then you're onto something. Don't forget to pick out/prep those kill tree while you're in there. Then don't go back in until you hunt it!

Thanks tgreeno! Yeah I have already stumbled upon a few spots on the property that held several beds and I had never walked thru there before and it was certainly surprising . Just followed some tracks till voila! I really like the point you say about strategic spots. I like to overanalyze everyrhing though. I seem to find what i feel is strategic attributes to generally most of the beds i find. Do you feel the more strategic, the more of an advatage a spot has, the more likely a mature buck beds there, rather then any irher deer?

I believe if mature bucks are present, they are going to be bedding in the "best bedding". I think that means those strategic spots, they feel the most secure, and don't have human/predator intrusion. Also possibly where they can monitor human pressure.

[BBH1980]

Hey beasts! Hope all your weeks went well!

Ive been doing lots of scouting on public land lately, mostly stuff close to the road. Driving around and scoping out trails crossing roads and thick trails close to the road. I have found several areas that are small cedar thickets that have several deer beds along them. Beyond the thickets is wooded marshlands, into cattail marshlands. Ive literally found atleast 20 different beds within 100 yds of the road, in just a couple small acre locations. There is a bunch of snow up this way now. Is this all just winter bedding most likely or is it possible this may be some overlooked bedding areas? I also found lots of cedar and evergreen tree bedding areas in my private property area. I have yet to really pinpoint all the bedding for my area but ive definitely found different bedding locations. Some in thick stuff on higher elevation. Most in evergreen areas. Also found lots of bedding around the cattail marsh and on the island in the cattail marsh. All the bedding I found was all recent. Can i count on any of it for next hunting season?


On another note. What would you guys say the average deer "bedding area" is, acreage or yardage wise? How do I know what seperates one area to another?

And have you guys noticed a difference in bedding in cattail marshes with transitions along wooded hills to the contrary of cattail marshes with transitions along lowland farmland? Where would you expect the bedding to be in those areas? Would it be the same, and find the bedding out in the cattail marsh just beyond the transition? Or would I expect to find the bedding in from the marsh in the thicker evergreen areas along the marsh?

Any opinions welcomed guys! Really trying to pin down locating bedding areas so I can increase my chances and get in on some deer this upcoming season. Any advice would be awesome!

I HAVE NOT READ THE RESPOSES YET... Crazy busy scouting this time of year. Finding beds right now might or might not help you during the season. 1st of f are they buck beds or doe beds? 2nd, are they winter beds? Might help you next winter in late season, but before that may be hit or miss... Most good buck bedding you find will be related to structure, just like bass fishing. A lot of the best primary bedding will have rubs both new and old for generations. But not all great bedding areas will have that... One good thing about scouting now is that tracks lead you to areas you would of possibly over looked without the tracks... Most buck bedding areas are between a 20 yard circle and 1/2 acre. But you do occasionally run across a great single bed, or a 3 acre bedding area.

If a spot looks good now, but your not sure, come back after the snow melts and see if there are good beds and or sign from during the season that was hidden by the snow.

Thanks Dan for taking the time to respond to my post. Appreciate it immensely. I will read, and reread what you and all of the guys that posted have said a hundred more times. Its only been since December since I really started checking out The Hunting Beast, before that I was trying to watch every hunting program that looked worth my time on TV. Came across The Hunting Public and I watched as much as my family would allow me to haha, which led me to The Hunting Beast. I had watched enough of those guys, to know they were legit, so when you went on the show with Joe, and the guys said they wish they could have not hunted and hunted with you to pick up on things, I knew you were someone I needed to know more about.

Thanks again for doing what you do, and inspiring so many other to do the same. I was thinking about it yesterday, sharing your craft, your secrets with others must be a humbling thing to do. I mean you put all the blood, sweat and hard work into it, and then share it with others for those to have similar success, that's just too awesome!

I am going to get the DVD's I know everyone keeps saying that, haha but I am saving for a house and its a really good thing my wife's got going with us saving money. I dont want to screw it up. I really hope she got me a dvd or two for valentines day. I havent quite figured out what the order is to the collection. Is there one you recommend I start first? I was just going to order the Marsh bedding DVD because it seems pretty common where I live, all the public areas have a marsh or two I can capitalize on. Plus, i dont think there are too many other hunters out this way, really getting into those areas and putting the extra effort in to get past the few walking trails and fields into the public.

And to follow up with your response, I think the most common thing everything is pointing for me to do is scout more. The more I really scour all the woods im hunting, especially now, just learning all the land and how the deer may use it, will help me become more successful. And keep watching the instructional stuff I find, reading books, and reading through all the threads. I will get the DVD soon and be watching that non stop. Good luck on your scouting mission and workshops!

All the DVD's are real good. My favorite "deer" DVD is swamp, but the marsh one will get you the basics fast. I kind of dissagree with scouring the whole woods... You waste a lot of time doing that. My main scouting takes place alongt transitions and elevation. I can scout a 300 acre property in a couple hours and find 95% of the mature buck bedding. I appreciate the kind words... Main thing to remember is that big bucks bed at the highest and lowest elevations, or along edge. There not out in the middle of woods as some would have you think.

Here is a picture of what I mean. Might help a few of us understand better. You can see the wider points and a few crests on the way down each.

That bench 1/2 way down at the top right of your topo image looks awesome. Any westerly wind (W, S/W, NW) is going to wip around the lower sides of that hill and make that bench perfect... With low pressure I would expect great bedding there. One other thing on lower benches, in high pressure most of the great buck bedding is on lower benchs where people don't walk.

Thay bench is actually where the sign starts, but havent scouted it really good yet. I'm sure your spot on. There's rub clusters where the acorns dropped in concentrations. The next level up starts thick mountain Laurel, I found a ton of bedding on that edge like they are looking down to oaks. I just started scouting a month ago after watching your DVDs. Hard to tell if it's doe or buck. I am finding beds all together and I know they generally herd up this time of year. There are rubs in and around the beds. There's a northern point that's more narrow not in the pic but you can see it's start.. It's half private but I found a huge bed and track right where the point starts on the north Eastern facing slope. On the edge of Laurel. Thanks for the advice Dan! This is public and not many people are climbing that high. Also is that a thermal hub between the northern most hill and second one down? I've been told that rim east of the saddle should be killer during the rut.

[BBH1980]

Hey beasts! Hope all your weeks went well!

Ive been doing lots of scouting on public land lately, mostly stuff close to the road. Driving around and scoping out trails crossing roads and thick trails close to the road. I have found several areas that are small cedar thickets that have several deer beds along them. Beyond the thickets is wooded marshlands, into cattail marshlands. Ive literally found atleast 20 different beds within 100 yds of the road, in just a couple small acre locations. There is a bunch of snow up this way now. Is this all just winter bedding most likely or is it possible this may be some overlooked bedding areas? I also found lots of cedar and evergreen tree bedding areas in my private property area. I have yet to really pinpoint all the bedding for my area but ive definitely found different bedding locations. Some in thick stuff on higher elevation. Most in evergreen areas. Also found lots of bedding around the cattail marsh and on the island in the cattail marsh. All the bedding I found was all recent. Can i count on any of it for next hunting season?


On another note. What would you guys say the average deer "bedding area" is, acreage or yardage wise? How do I know what seperates one area to another?

And have you guys noticed a difference in bedding in cattail marshes with transitions along wooded hills to the contrary of cattail marshes with transitions along lowland farmland? Where would you expect the bedding to be in those areas? Would it be the same, and find the bedding out in the cattail marsh just beyond the transition? Or would I expect to find the bedding in from the marsh in the thicker evergreen areas along the marsh?

Any opinions welcomed guys! Really trying to pin down locating bedding areas so I can increase my chances and get in on some deer this upcoming season. Any advice would be awesome!

I HAVE NOT READ THE RESPOSES YET... Crazy busy scouting this time of year. Finding beds right now might or might not help you during the season. 1st of f are they buck beds or doe beds? 2nd, are they winter beds? Might help you next winter in late season, but before that may be hit or miss... Most good buck bedding you find will be related to structure, just like bass fishing. A lot of the best primary bedding will have rubs both new and old for generations. But not all great bedding areas will have that... One good thing about scouting now is that tracks lead you to areas you would of possibly over looked without the tracks... Most buck bedding areas are between a 20 yard circle and 1/2 acre. But you do occasionally run across a great single bed, or a 3 acre bedding area.

If a spot looks good now, but your not sure, come back after the snow melts and see if there are good beds and or sign from during the season that was hidden by the snow.

Thanks Dan for taking the time to respond to my post. Appreciate it immensely. I will read, and reread what you and all of the guys that posted have said a hundred more times. Its only been since December since I really started checking out The Hunting Beast, before that I was trying to watch every hunting program that looked worth my time on TV. Came across The Hunting Public and I watched as much as my family would allow me to haha, which led me to The Hunting Beast. I had watched enough of those guys, to know they were legit, so when you went on the show with Joe, and the guys said they wish they could have not hunted and hunted with you to pick up on things, I knew you were someone I needed to know more about.

Thanks again for doing what you do, and inspiring so many other to do the same. I was thinking about it yesterday, sharing your craft, your secrets with others must be a humbling thing to do. I mean you put all the blood, sweat and hard work into it, and then share it with others for those to have similar success, that's just too awesome!

I am going to get the DVD's I know everyone keeps saying that, haha but I am saving for a house and its a really good thing my wife's got going with us saving money. I dont want to screw it up. I really hope she got me a dvd or two for valentines day. I havent quite figured out what the order is to the collection. Is there one you recommend I start first? I was just going to order the Marsh bedding DVD because it seems pretty common where I live, all the public areas have a marsh or two I can capitalize on. Plus, i dont think there are too many other hunters out this way, really getting into those areas and putting the extra effort in to get past the few walking trails and fields into the public.

And to follow up with your response, I think the most common thing everything is pointing for me to do is scout more. The more I really scour all the woods im hunting, especially now, just learning all the land and how the deer may use it, will help me become more successful. And keep watching the instructional stuff I find, reading books, and reading through all the threads. I will get the DVD soon and be watching that non stop. Good luck on your scouting mission and workshops!

All the DVD's are real good. My favorite "deer" DVD is swamp, but the marsh one will get you the basics fast. I kind of dissagree with scouring the whole woods... You waste a lot of time doing that. My main scouting takes place alongt transitions and elevation. I can scout a 300 acre property in a couple hours and find 95% of the mature buck bedding. I appreciate the kind words... Main thing to remember is that big bucks bed at the highest and lowest elevations, or along edge. There not out in the middle of woods as some would have you think.

Here is a picture of what I mean. Might help a few of us understand better. You can see the wider points and a few crests on the way down each.

That bench 1/2 way down at the top right of your topo image looks awesome. Any westerly wind (W, S/W, NW) is going to wip around the lower sides of that hill and make that bench perfect... With low pressure I would expect great bedding there. One other thing on lower benches, in high pressure most of the great buck bedding is on lower benchs where people don't walk.

Awesome insight on the side wind ! Wow I never thought of that. Have only been thinking about wind from over the top! That actually explains a lot on other properties in scouting

[Lockdown]

I didn't read all the responses. What I can tell you about bedding right now in the farm country I live in, the deer are yarded up big time. Properties are either ghost towns (the vast majority of them) or riddled with deer. In a marsh scenario the buck bedding will still be buck bedding, but bedding in general will be fairly "loose" with zero pressure on them. They bed closer to food. They bed in lots of places they wouldn't during hunting season. Especially does.

It's never a waste of time to scout. Just keep an open mind, head in after snow melt, and keep tabs on the areas/bedding that has your attention.

[upstateNYhunter518]

As others have said, Snow scouting has the advantage of being able to follow tracks right into bedding you otherwise may not have found. Also good spots to check-out next years late season.

I always like to confirm good bedding spots by, going back in just after the snow melts and before green-up. This is your best time to see the beds as they were preserved from Oct-Nov, under the snow. If those area still show bedding in strategic spots, then you're onto something. Don't forget to pick out/prep those kill tree while you're in there. Then don't go back in until you hunt it!

Thanks tgreeno! Yeah I have already stumbled upon a few spots on the property that held several beds and I had never walked thru there before and it was certainly surprising . Just followed some tracks till voila! I really like the point you say about strategic spots. I like to overanalyze everyrhing though. I seem to find what i feel is strategic attributes to generally most of the beds i find. Do you feel the more strategic, the more of an advatage a spot has, the more likely a mature buck beds there, rather then any irher deer?

I believe if mature bucks are present, they are going to be bedding in the "best bedding". I think that means those strategic spots, they feel the most secure, and don't have human/predator intrusion. Also possibly where they can monitor human pressure.

I agree completely. This hunting season I put a lot of miles on searching for sign and where deer use the land. Being a greenhorn still, needing to confirm what I think is correct. I found several instances that really opened my eyes about the decision making process deer use when choosing their bedding locations. One of my finds that seem to resonate on all of the different parcels I have been on in the last year, deer really like bed when they have a vantage point overlooking human pressure or access. It may be from a far distance away or from a close distance. But they really like to have their eyes on that point/entry where hunters come onto the land. Or on a road or trail that hunters travel on by foot or vehicle to get to their spots. I have found these beds, and just shook my head,. They were looking exactly in the direction of where I or other hunters were coming from. There was no way I was sneaking in on them. No wonder why I wasnt seeing deer haha

[Evanszach7]

As others have said, Snow scouting has the advantage of being able to follow tracks right into bedding you otherwise may not have found. Also good spots to check-out next years late season.

I always like to confirm good bedding spots by, going back in just after the snow melts and before green-up. This is your best time to see the beds as they were preserved from Oct-Nov, under the snow. If those area still show bedding in strategic spots, then you're onto something. Don't forget to pick out/prep those kill tree while you're in there. Then don't go back in until you hunt it!

Thanks tgreeno! Yeah I have already stumbled upon a few spots on the property that held several beds and I had never walked thru there before and it was certainly surprising . Just followed some tracks till voila! I really like the point you say about strategic spots. I like to overanalyze everyrhing though. I seem to find what i feel is strategic attributes to generally most of the beds i find. Do you feel the more strategic, the more of an advatage a spot has, the more likely a mature buck beds there, rather then any irher deer?

I believe if mature bucks are present, they are going to be bedding in the "best bedding". I think that means those strategic spots, they feel the most secure, and don't have human/predator intrusion. Also possibly where they can monitor human pressure.

I agree completely. This hunting season I put a lot of miles on searching for sign and where deer use the land. Being a greenhorn still, needing to confirm what I think is correct. I found several instances that really opened my eyes about the decision making process deer use when choosing their bedding locations. One of my finds that seem to resonate on all of the different parcels I have been on in the last year, deer really like bed when they have a vantage point overlooking human pressure or access. It may be from a far distance away or from a close distance. But they really like to have their eyes on that point/entry where hunters come onto the land. Or on a road or trail that hunters travel on by foot or vehicle to get to their spots. I have found these beds, and just shook my head,. They were looking exactly in the direction of where I or other hunters were coming from. There was no way I was sneaking in on them. No wonder why I wasnt seeing deer haha

I see this a lot too, but find the easier the access route, the more likely those are satellite beds of does and younger bucks. Depending on a lot of factors I have found mature bucks bedded nearby that are using those satellite deer as alerts. In KY last year I saw these types of beds heat up as pressure increased, primarily with does. A few times they let me walk right by within 50-60 yards. Just bedded and waiting for me to stop or cut off the trail.

I’ve found a few mature buck beds watching access routes, but they’re either routes that are infrequently used (probably less than twice per month), and or are really hard to access. One area that stands out is a river bottom with the only public access being a mile walk along the river. Almost bullet proof. Got within 30 yards of a bedded 2-3 year old with an off wind and wading across a loud river. Been checking on that bed for 3 seasons. It heats up mid rut. It’s roughly 70 yards downwind of a common deer river crossing, which is 30 yards downwind of a permanent stand (buck bed is 100 yards downwind of that stand). Goes back to why are they bedding there for when to hunt it.